We are the only national charity in Scotland dedicated to making sure children and young people get the healthcare treatment they need. We promote and champion the needs of all children and young people and their families at times of illness. We also supply information, resources and support with the aim of helping families access the best possible healthcare. Read how we helped one family.
Information and Support
If you need information on any aspect of caring for a sick child or young person, then contact our national office or our member of staff in your area.
Our area staff can offer help to families caring for a sick child. They can:
- Provide general support and advice in order to help a family know what to expect and how to prepare their child for a hospital visit or admission.
- Help families understand and learn about health rights.
- Provide support to liaise with healthcare providers or the hospital.
- Obtain information from expert advisers on behalf of a family.
- Provide one-to-one support through our hospital play box this can also be in a group setting within the child’s nursery or school and may also be as a support for the sibling(s) of a sick child.
- Signpost to other sources of help such as information on welfare rights and benefits, family support groups for specific conditions.
Around two million people in Scotland live with one or more long term condition. A long-term health condition is one which lasts generally longer than a year. Usually there is no cure but there are things that can be done to maintain and improve quality of life. We work for all children and young people when they are sick and we recognise the range and complexity of needs of young people with long term conditions. We have a Self-Management Service for young people with long term conditions which is based in Edinburgh. If you are caring for a child or young person with long term conditions and you live in or near Edinburgh this may be of interest.
For more information read the Lothian Self-Management Service page.
We provide workshops for kinship and foster carers which covers a range of healthcare topics relevant to children and young people in care. We also provide information resources for foster and kinship carers.
For more information read the Looked After Children and Young People’s Service page.
Information and Resources
We have a range of resources for families. Please click here for our Publications and Resources for further information.
Going into hospital or preparing for any other kind of healthcare treatment or intervention can be a daunting time for families. Information about the treatment and what to expect can help families cope better and prepare their child for what to expect. Our pack includes a selection of our leaflets, including, What to expect when a child goes to hospital and the EACH Charter explaining their healthcare rights. It also includes booklets on Consent and Confidentiality for under 16s and Have Your Say! Call 0131 5536553 if you would like a pack.
The European Association for Children in Hospital (EACH) charter gives information about the standard of care families should expect to be provided for their child in hospital and when accessing healthcare services. This booklet sets out the ten articles of the charter and explains what they mean.
There is an EACH poster illustrating the ten standards click here to view it.
In this section you can find health information in different languages. This is just as a start. Look regularly or get updates on our Twitter and Facebook pages.
The NHS Health Service provides information in different languages and formats. Speak to NHS or GP staff before an appointment to chat about your requirements.
If you have a question contact NHS inform or call 0800 22 44 88.
Find our leaflets, useful websites, suggested children’s books and lots more in our resources section.
Find information on managing anxiety, health rights, bullying and much more on our Children and young people page.
